


He's Ours

by DeamonQueen



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Angel's a Jerk, Chipless Spike, F/M, Slight Angel Bashing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-26
Updated: 2017-03-26
Packaged: 2018-10-06 12:55:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 20,614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10335194
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DeamonQueen/pseuds/DeamonQueen
Summary: To get his son back, Angel makes a deal with a demon and in exchange for getting his son out of Quor'toth, the dimension to which Holtz took Connor to, the vampire must sacrifice something he created as Angelus. Since he doesn't know where Drusilla was, his best bet would be to use the one she created in his name, William, aka Spike.So the souled vampire travels to Sunnydale in order to get Spike and use him to get his son back. What he hadn't expected was finding resistance from the Scoobies he used to work with and a Slayer he used to date.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Story Notes: Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
> 
> Chapter Notes:
> 
> Hi all! After months of not doing anything fanfiction related, I have finally returned. And as much as I would love to continue with the stories I had already been working on, I decided to post something I have already finished. Anyway, this story was my response to Wonder and Ashes' banner challenge for the Elysian Field's Anniversary Challenge! Hope I did good with this challenge and got you guys to enjoy reading it. If not, then sorry, but I just seriously wanted to do something before I start finishing the rest of my fics... So anyway, sit back, relax and have fun, leave a review when you are done! Thanks ahead for considering to read this!
> 
> Special thanks to my Beta who was kind enough to help me with this fic, SoaringClaws.. Again, thank you for the help!

**(O.O)**

 

**Italics are thoughts/mental talk of the characters**

 

**(O.O)**

 

**Angel**

 

When I first came to town to capture the bleached menace to be given to a Juxt'ce demon in exchange for getting Connor, my son, back from Holtz, I thought that everything was going to be easy as pie. I only had to come to Sunnydale, capture Spike, give him to the demon, and I could get my son back before morning the next day.

 

But when I attempted to capture the peroxide bastard by using some type of sleep and paralyzing drug, I didn't expect to be attacked by none other than Xander Harris! He hit me in the head using a large two by two piece of wood he found near the dumpster in the alley where I had knocked Spike out earlier, and the next thing I knew I was waking up in chains in the back portion of the Magic Box with a very angry Slayer staring down at me with a very pointy stake in her hand and standing alongside an equally angry Xander with a crossbow in his.

 

After that, I was put through a series of heavy questioning on whether or not I was Angelus. But even when I vehemently said that I wasn't, they still called Willow to do a spell to check whether or not I had my soul. Only then, when the spell was done, was I released from my chains. But even after I had proven that I was the good ol’Angel they all knew, I could still feel everyone's wariness of my presence. It was when Buffy, Xander, Willow, and I left the back part of the Magic Box to the front part of it that I learned why.

 

"What is he doing here? Shouldn't you be busy dusting him after what he did to Spike?" Dawn, who I remembered was Buffy's younger sister, asked my companions.

 

"He's not Angelus, Dawn, so we can't kill him," Buffy said flippantly, but there was still an edge to her voice that meant it was still an option for her.

 

I shuddered at that.

 

_Why is Buffy acting this way towards me? It isn't like I did anything wrong to her as of late!_

 

I tried to think back on the last encounter I had with Buffy and only remembered that we had parted on good terms, or what constituted good terms considering she had just lost her mother. But aside from that, Buffy and I were good. We had no territory fights, no memory wiping of me being human, and nothing that could cause her to be cold and distant towards me--well, nothing except that I had come to Sunnydale to kidnap Spike.

 

_But she wouldn't care about that now, would she? It's not like Spike is valuable to them._

 

At least that is what I thought until I saw the bleach menace’s unconscious form on one of the shop's couches, being watched over by some pretty blond chick that I had no recollection of. Then I saw Willow approach the blond woman before asking her how he was doing.

 

It didn't make sense! Why were they taking care of the bleached moron? I just didn't understand it. And so I had to ask the one person I knew would be the most reasonable in the group, Giles.

 

I asked Giles about what was going on and why it seemed that everyone was angry at me. It was his answer that fortified my suspicions of where their anger was coming from and it was indeed because I had hurt Spike.

 

"Of course we’re angry, Angel. You attacked a very important member of our team the night before Xander's wedding, during his bachelor party."

 

Of course, despite already having suspicions of it, the answer still caught me off guard.

 

_Wedding? Bachelor party?_

 

I had vague knowledge of the wedding because Cordy had offhandedly mentioned it to me a few weeks back. She had asked for a raise, so she could buy the dress she wanted for Harris' wedding, which she said I wasn't invited to. So the wedding thing wasn't really what surprised me. It was actually the fact that Giles referred to Spike as an important member of their team!

 

 _When did Spike earn that position?! Better yet, when did Spike become an important member of their team?!_ I thought angrily.

 

I knew Spike. I had helped create him. He was a little runt who was always trying to find ways to one-up me, to take my place in some way and be me because the boy was created to be just like me. He was trained to take care of Dru when I was gone, to do evil the same way I did and to be my--no, Angelus' replacement, in case anything were to happen to him! But hearing that Spike had become a valuable member of the team that I, Angel, had been part of, was just too much!

 

_The boy seemed to have taken his job of being my replacement all too seriously now that he was replacing me with the Scoobies!_

 

"Does he have a soul now too? Did he get himself cursed just like me? Is that why you are all taking care of him? Why is he a part of your team now?" I asked, wanting to know just how much the stupid vampire went through to take my spot in the group.

 

Laughter filled the room after those words left my mouth, which only confused me.

 

"What?!" I asked, really not liking the fact that I was getting laughed at without knowing why.

 

"The fact that you thought Spike needed to have a soul to be part of this team just cracked us up!" Xander explained in between his bouts of laughter. Even with what he said, I was still confused.

 

"What do you mean by that? Are you telling me that he doesn't have a soul? If so, why the hell are you calling him an important member of your team?! He's a soulless monster for Pete's sake! You shouldn't be taking care of him and getting angry at me for hurting him! You should be staking him while he's still unconscious!" I told the group.

 

After my outburst though, the room's atmosphere suddenly changed drastically. Their laughter immediately died out and I could feel everyone's glares being directed at me.

 

"You really put a lot of faith on the soul thing, don't you, Angel?" Dawn asked him, raising one eyebrow at the same time. "Well, let me just inform you then that Spike is different from you because he doesn't need a soul to be a member of this team. Even without it he has done far more than you ever did when you were still working with this team, you useless turd!"

 

I glared at Dawn after her speech. The impertinent little brat deserved a good slapping and perhaps a bit of a spanking after what she just said to me. And if I had a say on it, I would do such things to her while she was in front of all these people to let her learn not to speak unless spoken to!

 

Of course, it seemed that my glare had not gone unnoticed and Buffy stepped right in front of Dawn, as if she was shielding her from me.

 

_Dammit, I should really stop giving them reasons to distrust me. I need them to trust me so I can get Spike!_

 

"We don't say such words to allies, Dawn, even if they tend to be annoying, overbearing, and presumptuous assholes."

 

_Annoying, overbearing, and presumptuous asshole? Is that how she sees me?!_

 

"We just don't go around insulting people and calling them useless turds," Buffy reprimanded her sister, though it was obvious that it was half-heartedly done.

 

I opened my mouth again to ask why Buffy was acting this way towards me, but before I could say or do anything the Slayer turned back to face me, a frown painted clearly on her face.

 

"Anyway, Angel, Dawn may be wrong about her name calling but she wasn't wrong about the soul thing. We don't put that much faith in the soul here in Sunnydale. The soul isn't as important to us as you might assume or believe. Maybe before when you were here, it was important but not anymore. We've learned our lesson the hard way, souls do not equal good--" A cold and distant look crossed her eyes making me think that there was story behind those words and expression, "--and same goes for those who lack it." The cold look softened as she turned to face the unconscious vampire on the couch. A smile crossed her features that constricted my heart at the familiarity of it and the fact she was directing it at none other than my pesky grandchilde. "Spike's among the few exceptions of soulless beings that are good. He's proven himself to us countless times over the two years he’s been working with us just how much he's changed. He's protected my sister and friends, and helped save the world countless times by my side. He's grown to be a very important member of this team, just like Giles said, and so it is only natural that we all would take offense when you suggest that we stake him." She turn back to face me again with a glare more intense than the last one.

 

"That's right, dead boy. Spike's one of us now, so you better knock it off with the staking comments. Even I don't say such things to him anymore. Spike's one of the good guys so there'll be no staking," Xander said joining in the conversation.

 

"Which is why, I suggest that you watch that mouth of yours, Angel. It's bad enough that you hurt Spike, suggesting such things will only put you in a very bad spot here with us," Giles said in a tone that suggest that there was an underlying threat within his words.

 

"You all are angry and are threatening me because of Spike?" I blurted out, feeling offended and slightly hurt that they were doing and saying such things to me. I stared at Giles with a disbelieving expression. "You, of all people, are telling me to be careful of what I say about the bleached menace?! What the hell?! He's a vampire for Pete's sake! Why the hell are you defending him?! Better yet, what is with this trust you all seem to have given him? Have you all forgotten what he was? What he still is? Or better yet, what he did to you?" I looked at Buffy.

 

"I haven't forgotten, Angel. He tried to kill me more than once in the past. But that's all it is. The past. He's changed now, has become a better person," Buffy replied, giving me her best I'm-not-kidding expression.

 

"Vampire's don't change," I spat, "I already told you that, Buffy."

 

"Well, he did," this time it was Willow who spoke. I turned to the usually timid redhead and was surprised to see the determination in her eyes. "He has changed, Angel. He's not killing people anymore. And it's no longer because of the chip, but because he knows it's wrong and it would hurt us, especially Buffy. He's doing good by his own choice and not because it was forced on him!"

 

"Chip? You mean the government chip Buffy's soldier ex-boyfriend placed in him?! It's gone?!" Panic was evident in my voice.

 

This was worse than I had thought. These idiots were letting a murderer roam among them, thinking that he had changed! It was stupid and very naive of them to think in such a way. Spike would never turn his back on the kill just to avoid hurting their feelings.

 

Although, it did make me wonder what they meant about it most especially hurting Buffy.

 

_What does Buffy have to do with the idiot's decision to change?_

 

"Yeah, it's gone, dead boy. A Hellgod captured and tortured him to get him to give up Dawn's identity but he endured all of it until the Hellgod did something to him and was able to take the chip out of his head in the process. But before you start running your mouth again about killing Spike because he's evil and now a killer without the chip, let me just inform you that after he found out that the chip was no longer there, he did some blood spell thingy so we can have full control over him so we'd be sure that he wouldn't kill or hurt a single human. And from the link of the ritual we have been able to ascertain that ever since the chip's removal he has kept his promise."

 

"A blood spell?!" There were plenty of blood spells, a lot of them dangerous for anyone under it. But for vampires, there was only one spell that I knew would do the things Xander described.

 

But before I came to any conclusion I had to check first.

 

I briefly closed my eyes and sensed my link to my grandchilde. I felt it easily enough but then I searched the link that went beyond him and was surprised to feel seven humans linked tightly around him. Their links were almost as strong as the one Dru had on him, if not stronger.

 

"He did a blood binding ritual to you?! To all of you?" I asked as I opened my eyes.

 

I was shocked. I knew William was an idiot, but for him to do this? Of all the things he had done in the past, this was by far the stupidest.

 

He had willingly bound himself to a human, or, in this case, to a group of humans. It was an unprecedented thing to do. Vampires never bound themselves to humans. Usually, it was the other way around because when a human was bound to a vampire it became easy for the vampire to protect them and watch over them through the link. It also allowed the vamps power over the humans they bound to themselves. That's why it was so hard to believe that a vampire would choose to lose control over himself that way. Vampires, after all, were very dominating creatures.

 

It's all about power for us and losing it is not something we'd want or willingly allow to happen.

 

Yet Spike had done it.

 

And that was the crux of it all. He had allowed himself to become a slave to humans for some reason I could not even fathom. They had said he did it to earn their trust, which was, again, stupid of him to do!

 

_Why would he care about such things in the first place?! It just doesn’t make sense!_

 

"Why? Why the hell would he do such a thing?" I muttered aloud. In all seriousness, I could not for the life of me understand what had instigated Spike's decision to do the binding ritual. I would've understood if it had been something Dru wanted him to do, but Dru was not here and I was sure as hell that my pest of a grandchilde was not in love with any of the Scoobies.

 

Unless--

 

"Who?" I asked, looking at the group after suddenly realizing the possible answer to the question.

 

"Who what, Angel?" Buffy asked, looking just as confused at everyone in the group.

 

And I didn't blame them. A minute ago, I had been all confused and having an internal war with myself. Now, I was suddenly asking them a vague question.

 

"Who is the unlucky woman that my stupid bastard of a grandchilde decided he loved more than Dru?"

 

I saw the group internally flinch at my words and it signified that I had hit the jackpot. It only served to fortify my suspicious in the matter and encouraged me to pursue the answer all the more.

 

"Well? Who is it?" I asked again, my eyes narrowing at the group.

 

"It doesn't matter who it is, Angel. What matters is that Spike is no longer a threat but an ally, and you came here and did something to him which he has still not recovered from," Giles said, obviously trying to deflect the question.

 

But I wasn't swayed. If William had someone here who he cared about enough to allow himself to be a slave to humans then I had to know who it was. Though whether it was to congratulate them or to tell them I felt sorry for them, I wasn't certain.

 

"No, Giles. Actually it does matter, because I have to know who made that idiot do the stupidest thing in the world."

 

"It's not stupid, Angel," Buffy suddenly stated. My eyes turned to face her and I didn't like what I saw. The expression on her face could not be described as anything but admiration. "It's not stupid to do something drastic to earn the trust of the people important to you. What Spike did was an amazing thing and I thanked him for it because he not only gained the trust of my friends but he trusted, not just me, but all of us not to use the bond against him." She took a step forwards and leveled her eyes at me. This time determination shone from them. "So don't you dare call him an idiot for it, because it wasn't a stupid thing to do to assure the woman he loves that he can still be trusted to fight alongside her in a time like that, when a Hellgod wanted nothing but to take her sister away. Spike made a decision to give us control over him so we wouldn't have to worry about him going against us because of the lost if his chip. He did it so he could still stay with us to fight alongside us, to protect me, my sister, and my friends. And he did all of that. He protected us, got an RV for us to escape town. And even though we still weren't able to leave because of those knights, what's important was that he tried. He tried his hardest to help us and his efforts paid off because he was able to save my sister when the time came. He was able to prevent some demon from using her to open the portal to hell. He did all that, Angel, so don't you dare insult him and downgrade what he did because you have no right to judge him after everything he's done for us, for me."

 

I stared at Buffy with an incredulous expression. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Buffy. It was Buffy that my grandchilde had fallen in love with and from what I was hearing it seemed that she was okay with Spike feeling such things towards her.

 

"You're-- Are you insane?!" I asked.

 

"Excuse me?" she yelled back, looking at me with an indignant expression.

 

"This--Is this some kind of sick joke?! Some sort of way to make fun of me while visiting? Well, if it is, it isn't funny! This is Spike for heaven's sake! You are not supposed to look at him with admiration, or talk about him like he's the most amazing person you have ever seen! He--"

 

"He IS the most amazing person I have ever seen, Angel," Buffy cut me off angrily, "He's sweet, considerate, he's really good with Dawn, and he knows how to hang out with my friends. He patrols with me and helps me train. He cooks food, and makes sure Dawn and I eat healthy stuff. He takes good care of us and I feel safe with him. And best of all he understands me better than anyone I have ever known and he just gets me in a way no one ever has. He's just--"

 

"It sounds like he's something more to you than just a friend, Buffy." This time I was the one who cut her off. I stared at her in suspicion before my eyes widened in sudden realization. "You and him?" I eyed Spike's unconscious form then looked back at Buffy's guilty expression. "No…"

 

"I'm sorry, Angel. It just happened, we--"

 

"NO!" I screamed and started pacing.

 

I couldn't believe it! I just couldn't... Buffy. My Buffy was together with my disgraceful, pathetic, and pitiful grandchilde! The sad imitation of me!

 

 _ Oh, how the mighty have fallen! _

 

 _It’s all my fault!_ I thought. _Buffy turned to Spike because she couldn't have ME! And now, she and everyone around her have it in their minds that Spike is some kind of hero? Someone who they all think is their friend? Someone they can count on?!_

 

_Fools! I can't let this go on any longer!_

 

"I'm stopping it!" I stated. I stopped pacing to turn to everyone in the group.

 

"Stopping what?" Buffy asked, giving me a worried expression.

 

 _No, don't, Buffy. Don't look worried. Everything will be okay once I take the bleach menace away from you. Everything will go back to normal once Spike is no longer in the picture._ I thought as I stared back at her.

 

"I'm stopping all of this, Buffy. This dream, this illusion--whatever spell that peroxide punk had done to you, to every one of you, I'm putting an end to it! I'm taking the bastard with me to LA and everything will go back to normal for you, for all of you! You all will return to your demon hating selves once Spike is no longer here," I told them and walked towards the idiot's unconscious form only to be stopped by Buffy's tight grip on my arm.

 

"You're not taking Spike, Angel," she told me with finality. Her grip on my arm became stronger. If I had been human it would've really hurt me a lot.

 

I sighed. I should've expected resistance. Whatever spell Spike had placed on her was strong and it seemed that it still had her despite him not being conscious.

 

"Look, Buffy, I understand that you feel that you need to protect, Spike. But it's not real. What you're feeling, I mean. He's not who you think he is. He's not a hero and he's not any of those things you said about him. It's all a spell."

 

"Are you listening to yourself?!" Xander said from beside us. "We just told you Spike got himself tortured for Dawn and Buffy, then allowed himself to be placed in a bonding spell that made him ours to do what we please just so we could trust him without the chip! He helped save Dawn from Glory and has been taking good care of her and Buffy ever since, and your only explanation to everything that has happened is that we are under a spell?! I think you're the idiot here, Angel, not Spike!"

 

"Shut up, Harris!" I told the boy. It was bad enough that Buffy was acting this way, I didn't need the others doing the same thing.

 

"Hey! Don't tell my future husband to shut up! He's right after all. Spike has done a lot of good things, like keeping Xander from leaving me, and you are being an idiot for thinking that it was all a spell."

 

I didn't know who the woman was, so I didn't care to say anything to her. Instead, I focused my attention on Buffy, who was at the moment trying to pull me further away from the bleached menace.

 

"Look, everyone, listen to me. You are all under a spell. Spike's spell to be exact. He's done something to alter your minds or memories to make you think he's one of the good guys. He's doing it to get you to lower your guard with him, maybe so he can kill you or something. Spike is sinister that way."

 

"No, he's not!" Buffy's bratty sister said, joining in the conversation again. "Spike isn't like that. He likes to fight fairly and if he wanted us dead he'd just try to kill us. He's not the type to play with his opponents or put them through psychological torture crap like Angelus does! He's not even capable of thinking up something too complex, like a spell, just to earn our trust and kill us eventually. It's not him! You're being an idiot!"

 

I pulled my arm from Buffy and turned to face the insolent little brat.

 

"Listen here, little girl. It's obvious that you have some sort of crush on him, but you are being foolish if you think that he's one of the good guys. Spike is not good. He's a vampire and he'll do anything to get what he wants, whether it is through a spell or whatever. I don't know. All I know is Spike has done something to you that's making you all like him! So I suggest that you shut that ignorant little mouth of yours before I--"

 

But I never got to finish my words. Before I knew it, I was sent sprawling on the shop's floor. I stared up wide eyed at Buffy, who had punched me.

 

"Don't you dare threaten my sister, Angel," she said with a deathly glare.

 

"Buffy, I--"

 

"No, I don't want to hear it! You come here, hurt my boyfriend, insult my friends and I, and now you threaten my sister. I don't care what self-righteous reason you have for acting this way, but I have had enough of your unruly behavior! Normally, I'd be kicking your ass by now. In fact, I'd dust your butt for what you did to Spike. But since we have a history, I'm gonna be lenient with you, I'm giving you this one and only chance to leave my town and never show your humongous forehead here ever again!"

 

My eyes widened as I heard this. Buffy was kicking me out of her town. I felt my heart clench at the anger and coldness that she was directing at me.

 

_Where is the girl who loved me with all her might? Why is she acting this way?_

 

My eyes immediately zoned in on Spike.

 

_It's all your fault!_

 

Buffy's behavior only solidified my belief that Spike had done something to make her act this way. And I was now, more than ever, determined to take the bleached pest away from this group to get them all released from whatever he had cast over them.

 

I stood up with a firm expression.

 

"If I am leaving, Buffy, I'm taking Spike with me," I told her.

 

"No, you're not," Buffy stated, having an equally determined expression on her face. I saw the rest of the Scoobies moving beside her to block my way towards Spike. "Spike is staying with us and you are leaving town without him, Angel."

 

"You don't have a choice, Buffy. None of you do. I am Spike's grandsire. I have a right to do what I please with him, and that includes taking him with me anytime I want."

 

"Hah! It's funny that you only claim he's family when it pleases you, dead boy, and only when it's convenient for you," Xander said with a sneer.

 

"Convenient or not, he is my family and I have a right to do what I please with him. So if I say I am taking him with me, he is coming with me. Now step aside, all of you!" I roared at them.

 

But the Scoobies stayed firm. They neither moved nor flinched at my furious outburst. If anything, it only served to make them even more angry at me. Buffy pulled out a stake from her back pocket, as did the rest of her friends.

 

"Not a chance, Angel. If you want to take Spike, you have to go through all of us," Buffy said.

 

We were at a standstill. I wanted nothing more than to tear through the human barrier the group created, but knew it would be reckless to do so considering the said humans all carried sharp looking stakes in their hands. We must have really looked stupid. We were all supposed to be comrades in fighting evil, yet here we were ready to fight each other over Spike.

 

"Buffy, I don't want to hurt you. But I will do so for your own good," I informed her.

 

"Go ahead and try, Angel. I can assure you Buffy is not the one who will end up hurt in this," Giles stated, his eyes narrowing at me.

 

I could feel my demon raging within me. _How dare a bunch of humans threaten me?_ It screamed.

 

I would've buried the thought or tried to shake it away if I didn't feel the same way. I felt just as indignant as my demon. These humans were all treating me like a threat when the real threat was lying behind them!

 

"Bloody hell!" we all heard coming from the sofa that the Scoobies were protecting. "Anybody got the number of that truck that hit me?" Spike stated as he groggily sat up.

 

All at once, the ladies in the room ran to his side, Dawn and Buffy arriving there first.

 

"Baby, are you okay?" Buffy asked, "Does anything hurt?"

 

"Go on, Spike. Tell us so Buffy has another reason to kick Angel's butt," Dawn said with a sadistic smile on her not so innocent face.

 

 _This kid can't be Buffy's sister. Little brat's acting more and more like Spike by the hour._ I thought as I observed their exchange.

 

"Angel?" Spike immediately sobered up as he stared straight at me. "What the bloody hell are you doing here?" he asked me.

 

I glared at his disrespectful way of asking me. "I could ask you the same thing. What are you up to, Spike? What kind of spell did you place on these humans?"

 

"Spell? What the bloody hell are you talking about? What spell?"

 

"The one that you put on them to make them think that you are a good guy, to make them like you and have a relationship with you, to make them treat you as part of the team, and to imitate the same characteristics of a blood bond. That spell," I told him.

 

I saw his eyes widen, looking surprised at what I had said. I had to smirk at that.

 

 _You thought I wouldn't know, didn’t you?_ I thought.

 

"You think that I--??" he started, before busting in to fits of uncontrolled laughter. "Bloody hell, Angel! You think? Hahahaha!"

 

He was laughing so hard that even some of the Scoobies were joining him, making me even more angry.

 

"What the hell do you all find so funny?!" I yelled, shutting the impertinent boy up.

 

"You!" He pointed. "Bloody hell, mate, you really think that highly of me?"

 

I was taken aback by that statement. "What do you mean?"

 

"I mean anyone who really knows me would know that I ain't that sophisticated. Well, maybe I am, but I don't have the patience to actually do what you're accusing me of. Also, you already know my take on magic. It always has consequences. Do you really think I'd do something like that when I hate magic just as much as I hate you?"

 

I paused as I thought on Spike's words. He had a point. Spike wasn't really one to do such things. He was never patient enough to actually see through a plan. And as for his take on magic--well, as he said, he hated magic. He could never stand it. He said it had something to with not liking how magic always ended up backfiring on the casters.

 

"Bu--but then that means--" I turned to face Buffy who was still holding his hand on hers.

 

"It means exactly what it means, Angel," Buffy said in an irritated tone, "And that is that Spike is actually now one of the good guys and that he and I are really together without the influence of any spell, like we have been telling you."

 

"No," I said, taking a step back from the horrible truth of it all.

 

"Oh, don't look so surprised, grandpa." He looked at me with a smug expression before schooling it as he continued with his words. "You said it enough times in the past that I ain't evil enough for your liking. I'm just not trying to live up to your expectations nowadays," Spike said offhandedly, though the smirk on his face made it obvious that he was happy about what this entire situation was putting me through.

 

I was shocked. I had no idea what to do at that moment. I had come to Sunnydale to take Spike and use him to get my son back. That had been the plan, but it seemed that nothing of what I had planned was going to happening as I expected. Instead, a lot of things that I hadn’t expected had actually happened.

 

I hadn't expected any resistance from Buffy or any of the Scoobies when I had come here. I hadn't expected to find out what the boy had been doing the past two years in this town, nor had I been expecting to find out that he and my ex were now together and that he had built himself a life in the life I had had when I lived in Sunnydale.

 

All of it was just such a surprise for me that I stood there in front of everyone, frozen from shock. It was only when I felt someone poking my arm that I unfroze.

 

"Hey! Stop that!" I told the blond woman who, if I remembered correctly, was Harris' fiancé.

 

"Oh, darn. And here I thought I could finally add frozen vampire to our wares."

 

"I highly doubt anyone would buy him, Ahn," Harris told his woman affectionately.

 

"You'd be surprise what people would willingly take in exchange for their money!" the woman said.

 

"Even if Angel had really frozen, I vehemently refuse to include him in our sales," Giles said joining in the conversation.

 

"No one is selling me!" I finally said, having reached the limit of being ignored.

 

"Pity," the woman mumbled, earning a glare from me.

 

"In any case." Buffy intervened before I got a chance to actually tell the stupid girl off. "Angel, you now know that Spike isn't evil. So that means you'll stop this stupid notion of taking him with you to LA, am I correct?" she asked while placing a protective hand on the said vampire.

 

It hurt my heart to see, but I immediately shook the feeling away because I had more important things I needed to deal with before feeling sorry for myself for losing Buffy to the peroxide bastard.

 

Thanks to her words, I was reminded of the real reason why I had come to town.

 

"Wrong," I started, "I'm sorry, Buffy, but I am still taking Spike with me."

 

"What?!" they all yelled.

 

But before they could say anything or ask anything, I told them my reason.

 

"He needs to come with me because I need him to get my son back," I said with a grim expression.

 

 

**Tbc**

 

**(O.O)**

 


	2. Chapter 2

**(O.O)**

 

**Italics are thoughts/mental talks of the characters**

 

**(O.O)**

 

**Spike**

 

_I'm an idiot._

 

Really, I have no other way to explain my current situation other than me being a bloody fool.

 

Why couldn't I just kept my mouth shut? Seriously. Had I only done that I wouldn't be here, tied and gagged while lying inside the trunk of Angelus' car while he drove to LA where some Juxt'ce demon, waited for our arrival.

 

But no, I just had to open it and look where it got me: another lump in the head as the poof's car once again encountered another bump on the road.

 

"Mmhmm, mmhm!" I said through the gag while I gave a hard kick to the car to let the bloody driver, aka my poof of a grandsire, know that he should be more careful when driving.

 

Despite the engine's noise, I could still hear the bastard's amused chuckles.

 

_Git. He's actually enjoying my predicament!_

 

I muffled more curse words to the asshole at the wheels.

 

Just 'cause I agreed to this little plan of his doesn’t mean I was okay with him doing this to me!

 

"Shut up, Spike. We're almost there, you can save all your complaints for after we rescue my son!" he told me from the front seat, which of course had shut me up.

 

I wasn't really agreeing with him when I stopped my complaints but it was more because, and for the life of me I don’t know why, I actually cared about saving Angel and Darla's demon spawn. So if my silence helped, then that’s what I’ll give him.

 

**Thud**

 

The noise resounded around the small enclosed space as my head once again landed on the trunk's wall as we drove over another road bump.

 

_Ow. That was even worse than the last one!_

 

This really was the stupidest plan I had ever been a part of!

 

Why didn't I just do what the gang wanted and let my girlfriend kick the poof out of town? It would've been easier and I would've had less injuries with that plan.

 

 _Because you know it would be wrong to turn Angel down when he asked for help and because you know that your girlfriend would forever blame herself if her ex's innocent child got hurt because of her refusal._ The annoying voice in my mind reminded me.

 

Damn my conscience! Whoever said you needed a soul to feel guilty was a fucking ignorant idiot! I've been working with the Slayer for a few years and I had developed it without being cursed with one!

 

And it was because of said conscience that I told the gang that we would help Angel.

 

( _ **Flashback**_ )

 

"Alright, I'll go with you," I said cutting Buffy and the gang off from their yelling at Angel to leave.

 

"What?" Buffy asked, turning her head to glare at me.

 

On normal days, I would've backed off from that look alone, but not tonight. Tonight, it seemed I was the only one thinking straight.

 

I could understand why Buffy and the Scoobies were refusing Angel. Heck, I could even understand my girlfriend's current need to hit the arrogant prat. Him coming here to kidnap me was not the best plan his overly large forehead had conceived and the fact he actually mentioned his stupid plan to the Slayer and her friends, only proves that he wasn't thinking straight. Add his rude behavior and high and mighty approach when he explained why he had to take me away. Apparently I belonged to him since he created Dru, and thus me as well by proxy, so he had every right to do what he pleased with--well, let's just say it naturally set everyone off, and thus made the lot of them to immediately say no.

 

He reasoned some more and even added the assumption that he really was my sire and that he was in charge of me!

 

Ha! What a laugh that had been! Him? In charge of me? When?! The bastard had left me and Dru to fend for ourselves when he got all souled up, not to mention when I saw him back in the 50s, when he had tossed me out of that bloody sub to fend for myself! And he's in charge of me?! Asshole!

 

But before I could voice this, Harris had beaten me to it. He had snapped at Angel and bloody told him to not say such stupid things. Claiming he was in charge of me only made him responsible for all the deaths I had caused since my turning. To which Captain Forehead had replied that he was indeed responsible, the bloody martyr. But of course the idiot hadn't been satisfied with saying just that! He just had to add that because he was responsible for what I did, it was only fair that he be the one to end my life! In exchange, he would even get to save the life of an innocent, his son.

 

Well, that statement hadn't gone well with my Slayer.

 

In fact, she was even more ticked off by what he said.

 

"Who the hell are you to say that? Spike isn't some property for you to throw away and then use as you please! He's his own person and that means you have no right to do anything to him!" Buffy had yelled at him.

 

But my beautiful Slayer's outburst hadn't meant anything to the idiot! And instead he let out his own angry statements about me not being a person, but rather a vampire. His vampire, because again he was my grandsire, we were family and he had a right to me.

 

More arguing happened after that. Dawn had rejoined in the fight. Which Angel had again yelled at her for butting into something that wasn't any of her business. Giles had joined in, as did Xander, his fiancé and the witches. All of them telling Angel to back off and leave me alone. They had all, in their own way, told the venerable poof to leave town and never back. To hell with whatever he wanted. They even went as far as threatening to dust him if he persisted in trying to take me.

 

It had warmed my unbeating heart that these humans cared enough about me that they were actually defending me from my grandsire. But as happy as it had made me to see people actually sticking up for me for a change, it also made me feel sorry for the poor bastard.

 

He had just lost his son and now his only hope in getting the brat back was impeded by the Slayer and her friends. If I was in his place and someone took the Bit or Buffy from me, I would kill everyone who stood in my way. But the poor bastard hadn't even considered the thought and instead he simply looked like he was about to cry and beg everyone to let him have his way.

 

If I had been the vamp I was two years ago, I'd have watched the git beg on his knees and I still would’ve turned him down with a smile on my face. But I ain't that monster anymore. Being with Buffy, Dawn and the Scoobies got me to not just change my diet but also on how I viewed things, though not as accurately as those with souls. From my limited understanding of the concept of right and wrong and from my experience as a fighter for good, I knew that what we were doing was wrong.

 

Yes, Angel was an ass and he always will be. But that didn't mean his son had to suffer for it. The kid's innocent, but apparently Buffy and everyone else in the room didn't see that because of how the bastard had been acting since he arrived. It didn't help that the kid's mother was Darla, of all people. So because of all of this, Sunnydale's protectors were turning away from Angel and refusing to help him.

 

It was when Buffy was in the process of throwing Angel out of the shop that I decided to speak my mind and say those words.

 

After I said them, as expected, it garnered a lot of negative reactions, especially from Buffy and the Bit, Dawn being the most vocal one of them all.

 

"Are you insane?!" the youngest Summers woman asked as she glared at me with the same intensity as her sister. "Have you been listening to what this poophead's been calling you? He said you're a monster, Spike! That you deserve to surrender your life to save his demon son with Darla, a woman that you told me you don’t even like! Why would you even say that you'd agree to go with him?!"

 

I looked around the room and noticed that everyone was staring at me with the same incredulous expression. Some had a bit of anger mixed in with theirs but I knew it was because they were all worried about me.

 

They might even think that Angel's drugs were still affecting my judgement.

 

Though I wouldn't really blame them since I thought the drugs were partly the reason why I was gonna suggest what I was planning to suggest in the first place.

 

I took a deep, but unnecessary, breath before I released it. Then I turned to face everyone with a serious expression and my own version of a " _resolve face_ ".

 

"Dawn, everyone, Angel's an insufferable git. In fact, he's a stupid, self-righteous, arrogant bastard with an unnaturally large forehead--" I felt Angel glare at me for my words. Fortunately for me, he hadn't attack yet, so I continued. "But as much as I hate his bloody guts and wish him dust, he's still right, I do belong to him. He is technically my sire. Ergo, I do have to do what he wants." I saw the horror in everyone's expression, while a smug look crossed over my grandsire's face. I internally sighed.

 

 _Arrogant bastard._ I cursed him internally, I knew it would do no good if I said it to his face, it would only give the Scoobies more ammunition to refuse to help him and then another argument would commence again.

 

And I didn't want that because I might end up forgetting why I was telling them this in the first place.

 

So I sighed again, to calm my nerves and continued. "But that doesn't mean I will do what he says and surrender my unlife to this demon."

 

"But you said you'd come with me!" Angel voiced.

 

I glared at him. _You better shut up, you idiot otherwise I might actually change my mind._ I thought.

 

"Yes, but that doesn't mean I'm just gonna let you give me up to some bloody demon!" I explained to him instead.

 

"It's the only way to get my son back!"

 

"Which is why I will come with you! We go there, show my mug to this bastard, get your kid then kill him! Easy!" I explained to him with a satisfied smile on my face.

 

_Yup! I am filled with brilliant ideas._

 

"See what I mean? Spike's not one of the planners in this team so that should be enough to tell you that he really hadn't placed a spell on us," Dawn said to Angel as she placed her hand on my shoulder.

 

"What the bloody hell do you mean by that, Dawn?" I hissed at the teen, glaring at her because I knew there was a insult in what she just said.

 

"It means that you're an idiot and your plans are just as stupid," Angel said with a smirk.

 

"Hey!" the Bit and I said in unison. Both felt indignant by his words.

 

"Who are you calling an idiot?"/"I didn't call him that!" were the next words that came out of our mouths simultaneously.

 

"What Angel is trying to say is that, Spike, your plan, though it has its merits, isn't as well thought out as you had hoped," Giles said calmly, trying to mediate the slowly escalating argument.

 

"Why's that, Watcher?" I asked, though I vaguely could guess why he thought so.

 

"Well, for starters, you can't lie to a Juxt'ce demon, they have magic that detects when a person is planning to go against a deal," Anya stated, joining in the conversation. "They’re like Vengeance demon's in a way. You make a deal with them, you do the deal otherwise it gets called off. Although the same couldn't be said for them, because unlike vengeance demons, they aren't really bound by the rules of the contract. They can grant wishes to whoever they want with their magic, so as long as the individuals can pay the price they ask in exchange. But even if you do pay their price, these guys tend to go back on their deals and make empty promises so they can still get what they want without having to do anything in exchange!" the ex demon explained happily.

 

I saw the confusion in Angel's face, most likely because he's wondering who the young woman was. But then the confusion turned to panic.

 

"So are you saying that he doesn't really know how to get Connor back? And he's only doing this to what--? Get me to give him one of my own Childers?"

 

"Oh, more like he already has your son, but wants more than what he is getting in exchange for him, so he's trying to get something from his father too. Juxt'ce demons are quite greedy, you know. And if I remember correctly they actually have a mortal sin named after their greed," she explained.

 

"But why would he want Spike?" Tara asked timidly. I smiled at her. Despite being really uncomfortable with Angel in the shop, she was really determine to stand up for me like the others. It was both quite endearing and amusing to watch too.

 

Glinda has such an adorable face when she gets mad. Though, I'd be dead if anyone knew I thought of such about her.

 

Anyway, Anyanka answered the question. "Well, I really don't know why he'd want Spike or any of Angelus' creations, as he had told you--" She eyed Angel before turning to face the rest of us in the room. "But I do know that he is definitely getting something in exchange for getting either Drusilla or Spike. Which is why it’s stupid to simply go and meet this demon and hand over Spike. Because even though they are not as powerful as vengeance demons, they are still very skilled in the art of magic. He could still trick you and we might end up losing Spike and not getting your son back."

 

"So what am I gonna do then?" I could hear the defeat in his voice. This was even worse than hearing him beg Buffy to let him take me earlier.

 

Damn this man. How he was able to master the art of looking pitiful and pathetic that made you want to help him was beyond me and also annoyed the hell out of me because despite knowing about this particular skill of his I still get caught in it since it still can make me want to help him.

 

"Well, you can still give me to him and finish the deal," I blurted out of the blue. Again everyone shouted a resounded "what" but I quickly explained before my angry girlfriend and her sister started getting physical with me. "Just listen!" I told them, raising my hands up defensively.

 

When no one moved to attack, I took it as my cue to start explaining.

 

A few minutes later, their angry looks turned in to an apprehensive one as they all thought about my plan.

 

"It could work," Giles said begrudgingly, while I grinned at his expression.

 

_Heh, I may be part of the team but that doesn't mean I can’t enjoy myself whenever I make Giles feel annoyed by my occasionally brilliant ideas._

 

"So, we're really doing this, huh?" Buffy asked looking at everyone with a worried expression, before her gaze landed on me. "We're really using my boyfriend as bait to get Angel's kid back?"

 

"Buffy, it's the only way to get my son back," Angel said, trying to sound reasonable but ended up sounding like a condescending asshole.

 

I wasn't the only one who noticed this though and Buffy blew up at him yet again.

 

"Exactly! He's yours and Darla's son! So why does Spike have to be the one to pay for your negligence and carelessness when you were the one who lost him?!" she screamed, eliciting surprise gasps from every Scooby in the room.

 

"I didn't lose my son! He was taken from me!" Angel screamed back in return.

 

"Then you should've taken better care of him! You should've protected him better!" she told him.

 

"I was protecting him! But I was betrayed by one of my own people! He took Connor from me and lost my son when he did!"

 

"Then you should've chosen better friends, Angel."

 

"Like you? Let's see, a washed up Watcher? Two lesbian witches? Two weak-assed humans? Add your whiny sister and my pathetic excuse of a vampire grandchilde? Sure! That's way better than my team! I have a half-demon seer blessed by the Powers, a genius physicist, an expert demon hunter and a very powerful empath demon. Compared to your team, Buffy, mine wins every time."

 

 _Ooh, burn. I do not see a scenario where Angel will get out of this alive._ I thought as I saw my Slayer reach for her weapon again with a very furious look in her eyes. Angel looking the same, only this time it looked like he wanted to break her neck as he was staring at it intently.

 

So before the bloodshed began, I intercepted my Slayer, blocking her path.

 

"Buffy, luv, we need to talk," I told her, but it was obvious she wasn't in the mood to talk as she was trying to move away from me to get closer to Angel. But I held her arms and started leading her to the back part of the shop.

 

As I was leading my struggling girlfriend away from Angel, I could hear everyone else busting Angel for what he said about them.

 

 _Hah, serve you right, you poof._ I said internally as I finished leading my girl away from the racket.

 

When we arrive at the back part of the shop, I immediately released my Slayer before tensing up in preparation of what I knew what would happen next.

 

**Thud!**

 

My head snapped back as her powerful fist landed on my nose.

 

"Ow!" I said touching my almost broken nose.

 

"You're an idiot!" she told me, "Why would you do this? Why did you even suggest it? Using you as bait?! Spike! Why would you even want do such a thing? You hate Angel! Why would you help him?! And you better not give me that crap about him owning you because you of all people know that that’s not true."

 

I forced back the smile that was threatening to appear on my face due to her last declaration.

 

_That's right, luv, I don't belong to the poof. I belong to someone better and far hotter than that pompous bastard._

 

I let out a deep breath before finally telling her my reason for suggesting this plan in the first place.

 

"Because it's the right thing to do," was my solemn reply to her. She took a step back, as if this time it was me who had done the slapping. But I didn't stop there. I walked forward, raising my hand to tuck a stand of her hair away from her beautiful face before continuing, "Buffy, you are right. I do hate Angel and truthfully, I couldn't give a fuck about him asking for my help. Hell, I would've been the first to throw the bastard out of the shop when I learned he planned to use me for his selfish reasons."

 

I paused as I felt anger raise inside me as I remembered Angel's words about me. God, how I hated that the bastard still thought of me as his property. It didn't help that he still thinks that he has a right to do with me as he pleased just cause he was the one who raised me 'stead of Dru. Selfish prat. He should be burned for those stupid claims.

 

 _Later._ A part of my mind said. _Think of Angel's demise when you finish talking to your still worried girlfriend._

 

"But this isn't all about Angel, luv," I continued, returning back to our conversation, "He isn't the only one we need to help. It's the kid who needs our help, and what I learned from you lot is that you always help the innocent. And Angel's brat--well, he may come from the most horrible parents on the face of the earth, but that doesn't mean he should be condemned to hell for it." I tilted her head to make her look me in the eyes. "He needs us, pet, so we have to help. We wouldn't be the good guys if we abandoned an innocent kid just cause we hate his father, right?"

 

I saw amusement and irritation in her eyes as she stared back at me, before finally letting out an exasperated sigh.

 

"Sometimes, I really do wonder whether you are soulless or not Spike. You always seem to be the one who really remembers how to be the good guy among us."

 

"Nah, still souless as ever, luv. I just have a real good inspiration to do good right here in my arms." I wrapped my arms around her small waist and nuzzled her neck.

 

"Well, you're being too good for my taste, vampire," she whispered in sultry.

 

I felt myself hardened a bit.

 

_God, she's beautiful! My hot, sexy little Slayer._

 

"Oh, don't worry, pet, I can still be bad when I want to be. And if you persuade me enough, I can show you how much badness I still have in me," I answered trying to sound equally sexy. I felt her shudder from my words and instantly smelled her arousal.

 

"Really now?" The mischief in her voice only served to fuel my arousal even more and her next words hadn't helped either. "Well, then I guess I should start preparing punishments for when you do start acting like a naughty little vamp, shouldn't I?"

 

That was all the invitation I needed.

 

Without warning I claimed her mouth. It was a battle of passion and dominance. The two of us trying to devour each other and show the other who was the boss in this relationship. As our kiss deepened we found ourselves at the other end of the room, with my back against the wall. Our tongues continued dancing and we kept at it until Buffy felt the need to breathe. But even as we separated, panting hard, I did not stop my ministrations.

 

Instead of her lips, my mouth traveled down her neck, leaving a trail of soft and gentle bites and butterfly kisses. I heard her moan as my teeth grazed a particularly sensitive part of her skin.

 

The sound only served to encourage me to do more.

 

My hands traveled under her shirt, then slowly ascended to her breast. Upon arrival, I cupped one and slowly messaged and pinched her little mound, all while sucking the sensitive skin on her collar bone. Another moan escaped her.

 

I smirked at that and smugly thought about how it was all so easy for me to get her on her knees for me. But my mind went blank as I felt her hand rubbing my covered prick. Add in the fact that she too had found the sensitive skin on my neck and was busy sucking and biting it with her blunt teeth, I was sent to a shivering oblivion.

 

"Too many clothes," she whispered in my ear.

 

Hurriedly I removed my coat and shirt, while she continued to ravish my neck and her hands busied themselves trying to release my cock. Once it was free from its confinement, she started pumping my already hardened member with her hand while her other slid upwards towards my chest. She then pinched my nipple and bit my neck harder this time so it took everything in me not to moan out loud.

 

 _Won't do us good if the crew outside started calling for us while we're in the middle of something._ My mind reasoned.

 

"Shhh, better keep it down, _luv_ , or Dawn might end up getting curious about what we're doing here," she whispered teasingly, using my endearment for her at the same time.

 

"Not really worried about Dawn, pet. The Bit knows better than to walk in a room with just the two of us in it," I told her in between my ragged breaths, "It's the people with her that we should be worried about interrupting."

 

"Well, if Dawn's not a problem, then so are my friends," she said as her mouth slowly moved to another part of my neck that she knew was also sensitive. "They know better than to walk in on us while we are doing it. And as for Angel--well, let him come in see or hear just what you mean to me, Spike," she said biting hard on my sensitive flesh and sucking it to leave a mark on my pale skin.

 

"Fuuuck!" I screamed no longer restraining myself since my Slayer just gave me permission. Her hand on my dick was moving in a faster pace and I knew any moment now I was gonna cum from her ministrations.

 

 _God! Yes, there!_ I screamed mentally as she once again found another sensitive part on my neck for her to land another bite mark on.

 

I felt her smug grin against my skin and it was enough to give rise to my competitiveness. With a swift movement, I switched our positions and had her pinned against the wall, making her release my already engorged cock.

 

"My turn," I told her before I ripped the buttons off her shirt, earning an angry _eep_ from my Slayer. But I gave her no time to voice any more complaints for my mouth had claimed her perked up nipple. Biting, licking and sucking, I got a loud moan from my lover. But I wasn't satisfied with just that. My other hand moved up and again busied itself with the other breast. As I continued ravishing her upper body, my other hand was busy removing the button of her jeans.

 

I must not have been doing too well at distracting her because she still felt the movement below and her hands went there to help me. After unfastening them, one of her hands went up to grip my hair telling me to continue what I was doing, while her other once again reached down to my prick that was dripping with pre-cum, but I stopped it before she could do so.

 

"Told you, Slayer, it's my turn," I hissed as my teeth bit her nipple hard making her scream in pleasure.

 

_I know my girl loves it hard and rough with a lot of pain._

 

After draping her hand on my shoulder, I once again moved towards her jeans. I placed my fingers on the rim of her pants and underwear while my other arm wrapped itself around her hips. I raised her body a bit, using the arm wrapped on her hips and the wall behind her for support, and in one swift swoop, I pulled said pants and underwear off while my lips never left her already abused breast.

 

I raised my head to look at my near naked girlfriend taking in her entire image. Her flushed cheeks, her ragged breaths, her disheveled locks, and the bruises and bite marks on her skin. She was all mine.

 

"God, I love you," I told her.

 

She smiled at my words and reached out to me, then replied, "I know. And know that I love you too, Spike." She pulled me close and kissed me softly on the lips. "So you better hurry and make love with me before I change my mind and leave you hanging," she said challengingly.

 

That was all it took for me to make my move again. I positioned my cock on her obviously wet pussy and all at once I sheathed myself inside her. Her scream of pain and pleasure was delicious to my ears, her tight walls wrapped up on me so amazingly and the heat she radiated burned me to the core.

 

"Fuuuck! Buu-ffy--"

 

I couldn't finish my statement as she clenched her muscles and tightened her hold on me bringing me back to that club two years ago when she told me how she could ride me at a gallop till my legs buckled and eyes rolled up. Chit said she's got muscles I've never even dreamed of and could squeeze me till I popped like warm champagne and beg her to hurt me just a little bit more...

 

And she wasn't lying as I was also close to begging her at the moment as she held me so tightly that I couldn't move even if I wanted to.

 

"Move, Spike," she ordered, finally easing her hold on me. I didn't need to be told twice and started pounding the girl as hard and as fast as I could, knowing this was what she wanted. She met my thrust with equal ferocity.

 

She didn't even bother to lower her voice as she cried with all intensity.

 

"Yes, yes, yes!"

 

Minutes later, I felt myself shudder and I knew I was reaching my limit, so I captured her mouth, hoping to catch her attention, despite her being obviously lost in the lustful and wanton oblivion, so she'd understand that I was getting close.

 

"I know, baby," she whispered, still meeting up with my thrusts. "Want us to go together," she said, clenching me tightly again.

 

I groaned loudly as the movement only served to push me even closer to the edge. We sped up our paced to get her just as close as I was. And when I felt her shuddering breath, I knew she was almost there.

 

"Spiiiiike!" she cried, arching her back, while still meeting up with my powerful thrusts.

 

"Bufffyyy!" I cried alongside her as together we climaxed.

 

We reached our limit and sagged together on the floor of the shop, all while maintaining our very close position. I shifted us a bit and moved until I was the one who was leaning on the wall, while my Slayer was spooned in front of me, her back towards me, while my cock was loosely covered by her still cummed filled entrance. My head nuzzled the back of her neck as she laid back towards me, her hand reaching up to play with my obviously messed up locks. We were sweaty and dirty and very tired, but I knew despite it all, my Slayer's little head was still working in overdrive.

 

"I'm gonna be alright, luv," I told her, "The plan's gonna work and we can save Angel's kid. Heck, we might even make it back for Xander and Anya's wedding in the evening."

 

"I'm not worried about the plan not working, Spike, I'm worried that something bad or unexpected will happen and I might end up losing you. I can't--I don't want that to happen--"

 

I knew my Slayer was close to tears as her fears overrode her mind. So I hugged her tighter to reassure her that I would indeed be alright and would not leave her.

 

"Nothing's gonna happen to me, pet. And if something does happen, it won't be enough to take me away from you. Whatever happens I will never leave you for long, Buffy. I promise you, I will come back."

 

She nodded and moved herself closer in my arms. "I'll hold you to that."

 

( _ **End of Flashback**_ )

 

I was taken out of my lovely memory when I felt Angel's car come to a stop.

 

 _About bloody damn time._ I thought as I heard the poof get out of his car.

 

Keys jingling, then I hear him unlock the trunk. As the trunk opened I allowed the light of the lamp post behind him to illuminate the small space I was in.

 

Remembering the plan, I struggled as he hoisted me out of the trunk.

 

I clenched my fists as he carried me like a sack on his shoulder. I hated that I was being treated this way but I knew that this was necessary. So I continued to struggle, but not to the extent that I could actually break free from him. He walked towards the abandoned building, where Angel was meeting the demon, before suddenly dropping me at the entrance.

 

I winced as I felt the pain on my buttocks from being dropped on the concrete floor, before looking up at Angel in anger.

 

"What the bloody hell was that for?" I asked but was muffled by the gag.

 

My angry glare changed as I saw the look of regret in his eyes.

 

"Angel?" I asked in confusion.

 

"I'm sorry, Spike," he told me before reaching for something in his coat's pocket.

 

I felt my eyes widened as I saw him take out a syringe with some green liquid inside it.

 

I knew something was wrong, so I hurriedly contacted Willow through our mental link.

 

"Willow, something's wrong with An--" I couldn't finish the thought as I felt whatever drug he had just injected me with start to take effect. I felt my mind dull until I finally lost all ability to think...

 

"Hmphmhh---"

 

**Thud.**

 

"I'm really sorry, Spike, but this is for my son..."

 

**TBC**

 

**(O.O)**

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Notes:
> 
> Hi, everybody! Finally got a chance to upload the last chapter of this fic. I just want to say thank you to all the people who reviewed, liked, bookmarked and favorited this story. I hadn't thought I'd get that many people to read my stuff and I truly appreciate the attention given to me. Really. I offer my special thanks to [Wonder and Ashes](http://dark-solace.org/elysian/viewuser.php?uid=13822) for giving me the idea for this fic through her challenge. And also to my betas [SoaringClaws](http://dark-solace.org/elysian/viewuser.php?uid=11862) and [Booksquirm](http://dark-solace.org/elysian/viewuser.php?uid=14501), thank you both for helping me. I truly appreciate it.
> 
>  
> 
> Before I would end my little rant in this beginning, I decided to add the parameters of this challenge here. So to let you guys see what was suppose to be expected of this fic and why I wrote it as it was...
> 
> Characters: All Scoobies, Angel Rating: Any Season/Episode: Season 5 / Season 6 Must have:
> 
> 1\. United Scoobies standing against Angel  
> 2\. Happy Spuffy  
> 3\. Angel comeuppance
> 
> Can have:
> 
> 1\. Wolfram & Hart  
> 2\. Spike and Xander friendship  
> 3\. Angel/Cordelia
> 
> Can’t have:
> 
> 1\. Evil Angel  
> 2\. Bangel  
> 3\. Biley
> 
>  
> 
> And that was that. So without anymore delay... Hope you all enjoy this final chapter of this story.

**(O.O)**

 

**Angel**

 

I awoke up with a start as water was thrown over my head.

 

Dripping wet, I took in my surrounding and noticed that I was in a large factory and the person who was responsible for my current drenched state was none other than Xander Harris, who had a metal bucket in his hand. Beside the young man was a group of people with familiar faces and among them was the love of my life, Buffy.

 

 _Why is she here?_ I thought to myself.

 

But I didn't need anyone to answer that questions as all at once the memory came back to me.

 

I hurriedly stood up to face the obviously angry Slayer.

 

"Buffy, I can explain--"

 

But I never got a chance to.

 

**Bhung!**

 

I was flung a few feet away due to the sheer power of the punch she had sent my way.

 

She marched towards me, her petite stature radiating fury and rage that sent my demon cowering.

 

_Shit! I really pissed her off._

 

I immediately stood up, my hands raised defensively in front of me as I tried to reason with the Slayer again.

 

"Buffy, wait--"

 

But she was having none of my excuses as she threw another powerful punch at me that forced me to take a few steps back. And that still hadn't been enough for her as she threw another punch at me. And another. And another.

 

It didn't take long for me to realize that there was no point in trying to talk some sense into the woman in front of me. So instead I tried to focus on defending myself from her assault.

 

But that was easier said than done.

 

Buffy attacks were strong and came too fast for me to block or stop or do anything. So I ended up simply receiving her attacks until I was finally sent flying to the other side of the room where a bunch of stacked boxes were located.

 

I felt myself getting hauled up from where I was before being thrown onto the factory's cement floor. I felt someone straddling on my hips before something pointy was held on my chest. I felt a few droplets of water falling on my face.

 

"Give me a good reason why I shouldn't just dust you, Angel." Buffy, who I identified as the person on top of me, said.

 

I looked up at her using the eye that wasn't too bruised from her earlier attack and saw with horror that the droplets were actually tears falling down her face.

 

"I'm--I'm sorry," was all I could say, because really I couldn't think of anything else to say other than that.

 

I was indeed sorry for everything I did; from lying to them, to betraying Spike, to losing him to the demon and for not protecting my son properly--because as Buffy said, that was the real cause of all this. Had I only protected Connor and not lost him then none of this would've happen. I wouldn't have had to make that deal with that demon. I wouldn't have had to come to Sunnydale and disturbed these peoples’ lives. I wouldn't have had to betray Spike's trust because the demon told me to before we even got a chance to actually do our plan. And finally I wouldn't have had hurt the woman who means the world to me.

 

"I was stupid--I--I'm sorry, Buffy."

 

**Cough. Cough.**

 

 _Damn, she broke a rib._ I thought as I felt the piercing sensation on my chest making it hard for me to breathe, let alone talk.

 

_Not that I actually needed to breathe._

 

"Sorry? Sorry doesn't even begin to cover everything you've done, Angel! Sorry doesn't give back everything you’ve lost! It doesn't change anything that has happened. And it cannot make up for you screwing everyone tonight!" she yelled.

 

"I know!" I screamed back at her, hearing the pain that was definitely not cause by her assault in my voice. "I screwed up! I betrayed the woman I love and her friends, betrayed my own flesh and blood and for what?! Nothing! I did all those stupid and selfish things in exchange for nothing! I didn't get Connor back and I ended up losing Spike too! What's worse is that I know it’s all my fault to begin with!"

 

I paused as I again remembered her words to me earlier that evening.

 

"You were right, I should've taken better care of Connor. I should've protected him. Had I done that then none of this would've happened."

 

I knew there were tears of frustration falling down from my bruised eyes, but I didn't care. I didn't care that everyone was seeing me cry and seeing me weak. None of that matters now. I no longer cared about how pathetic I looked or how ugly crying like this made me. My whole world had ended tonight and my reputation no longer meant anything to me.

 

"I did this, Buffy, I know that. It's all my fault. And now, I ended up losing Spike too."

 

Regret. That was the most prominent feeling in my chest. That along with the guilt and pain caused by the loss of my son. It was too hard. Too hard to bare for my already heavily burdened soul. And the only cure I had for all of this was sitting on top of me.

 

All I have to do is get her to give me what I deserve.

 

"I did this, Buffy. And I’m sorry. I know sorry can never be enough to fix what I have done." I looked down at the stake that was still resting on my chest with desire. "I deserve to be punished and I know that you need to punish someone. So go on. Do it. Feel free to reap your vengeance, Buffy. Don't hesitate just because it's me, because right now, I'm letting you do it. In fact, I'm giving you permission to do so," I told her before I closed my eyes and waited for my end to finally come.

 

"You're giving me permission?" her voice resounded in my ears. It sounded like she said it out of disbelief. "Oh, my god! You really are a pompous self-absorbed asshole! And to think I nearly fell for that _I'm sorry_ crap you were selling earlier." she said, making me open my eyes again to look at her and see a disgusted look on her beautiful face.

 

She suddenly stood up, while still looking down at me with the same expression.

 

"You aren't gonna kill me?" I asked her, confused about what was happening.

 

 _Why was she looking at me that way? And why did she call me such things?_ These questions ran through my mind.

 

"No, because I just lost my will to do it," she spat, putting away her stake.

 

"But why? Because you all think I'm too pathetic to kill? Is that it?!" I asked angrily, standing up to stare down at the little girl who had the nerve to take pity on me. "You feel sorry for me? Buffy, I just got Spike taken away because I went to meet up with the demon alone instead of going in with your help! And you already forgave me because you see me cry and you feel sorry for me?! I don't need your pity, Buffy! I want you to punish me for wh--"

 

**Thug!**

 

My head snapped back from the power of the punch she sent my way. I staggered a few steps back before looking at Buffy with a shocked expression.

 

"What the hell was that for?!" I asked, not understanding why she had just punched me again.

 

"For being an idiot! You think that just because I am not killing you that I already forgave you? God, Angel, haven't you noticed just how arrogant and egotistic you sound?" I opened my mouth to refute what she said but she stopped me with her next words. "You don't demand punishment! Nor do you tell people that you permit them to give themselves to you! You're not in charge here, dammit! And that means you don't get to decide what happens or how you want things to happen to make up for what you did! You made a mistake! A colossal one that not only endangered your kid but Spike too and yes, on normal circumstances, I would've dusted you where you stood but I didn't because I think death is too good for a bastard like you!"

 

I didn't like the sound of that. She wasn't going to kill me because it was too good for me? Did she really want me to suffer? To feel the pain of my lost? Of my mistake?

 

"I can't... I can't take it anymore. The pain. The guilt. Everything. I can't deal with any of this. Buffy, please, I want you to end it! End me! My life has been nothing but death, destruction, pain, and sorrow. And Connor--he was the only good thing that I had actually created but because of my past and all the things Angelus did, I lost him! I lost my son! And I can't deal with that! So please Buffy--if you ever loved me, you will end me!"

 

The fury I saw in her eyes was like nothing I had ever seen before. I even felt my own demon, who had been raging inside me earlier because I was trying to get us killed, retreat back within the confines of its mental cage. He was afraid of the Slayer in front of me, but I was not. In fact, I was happy to see her, because it meant that I was actually going to get my wish after all.

 

I closed my eyes and waited again for her to finish me off.

 

But instead of a stake, a punch was once again delivered my way.

 

It was weaker this time but was still enough to still send me falling onto my butt. I opened my eyes and was surprised to see that the one who had punched me was not Buffy, but Xander Harris.

 

"Asshole! You still have the nerve to use Buffy for your own selfish reasons after what you did to Spike?! How dare you try and manipulate her like that?! Using her love so you get what you want?! Well newsflash, Angel, she's still not killing you! You know why? Because you don't deserve it! You don't deserve her compassion or her pity or her help! You never did after what you put her through when you left! The only reason we agreed to help you in the first place was because Spike is such a better man than the rest of us that he reminded us of your son and how he was an innocent bystander in all of this! He was the only reason we helped you and you betrayed him! Betrayed us! And for what? For nothing! Because you still failed to get your son back! You failed to rescue him and Spike paid the price for your stupidity! And now that we're facing the aftermath of your stupidity, you want an out to it because you can't deal with the guilt and pain? Well, boohoo, Angel! Like Buffy said, you don't get to choose your punishment! You don't even have a right to take the easy way out! And yes! Death is the easy way out and you don't deserve it! You don't deserve anything but to suffer, you self-serving bastard!"

 

Xander was breathing hard and looking at me with a furious expression. On normal days, I would've said something inconspicuously demeaning to the boy for insulting and punching me like he did. I would've said something that would be just enough to shut him up but not quite enough to let everyone see that I had insulted him. But I was too busy taking in what he had just said to feel indignant or angry at the boy's actions.

 

I didn't deserve their help because I didn't deserve anything but to suffer? Suffering... Is that the only thing I deserve in this world? Is that why Connor was taken from me? Why my life has been in constant pain? Why everything I do, this redemption gig, seemed pointless? Because suffering is my gift? That’s the only thing I deserved?

 

"Suffering... Is that the only thing I deserve?" I uttered out loud, letting the two humans in front of me hear me. I looked up to the two of them probably with a devastated look, seeing as that was what I was currently feeling. "To suffer? But why? Because of my past deeds? Because of what my demon has done? Spike's demon has done the same things I did, if not worse, but why is he getting the easy way out? Why does he have your trust? Your love? Your loyalty? When I have to work for all of it when I fought beside you!" I looked up, as though I was conversing with someone from above. "Why do I have to go on this path to redemption then, when all it took for Spike was a chip in his head and he instantly became an esteemed member of their team? It's not fair that people immediately think that he's changed for the better when something was conveniently placed in his head while I'm stuck feeling shitty for all my sins and not even able to be in the same city as the woman I love. I've been trying so hard to change, to be better and more deserving for the reward you are planning to give me, and yet you let him be Buffy's fuck toy while I'm away! It's just not fair--"

 

**Thug!**

 

I was punched again, this time by Buffy. But now I was angry. Angry that these humans kept hitting me when they obviously had no reason to do so.

 

"Stop hitting me!" I roared. My demonic visage appearing. My yellow eyes zeroed on the Slayer and I let out a warning growl to let her know I was being serious now.

 

"Then stop saying stupid things to deserve it!" Buffy said, not backing down. Instead she took a fighting stance as if preparing herself for an attack.

 

I was caught aback yet again. I was angry yes, but I wasn't ready to fight her. I never was. I had only wanted to get her to stop disrespecting me by hitting me for no reason.

 

 _What does she even mean by me saying stupid things, anyway? What part of my stating that Spike has it easy was referred to as something stupid? Or telling her that I deserved to be punish is something idiotic? How can she say I am being a fool when I am merely telling her the truth?_ I thought as my demon receded and my human face returned.

 

"There is nothing wrong with what I said, Buffy," I tell her angrily. "I am merely telling you the truth. I deserve more than to suffer after everything I've been through. After all the good I've done. I think I at least deserve a bit of a break. But do I get it? No! Instead you all give it to my stupid Grandchilde, who I might add had done just as much evil as I did. If I deserve what’s happening to me then Spike deserves the same treatment! He deserves to suffer for his sins too, but does he? No! Instead he gets the things I want without lifting a finger! He gets all your love and the Scoobies' trust, and it's just not fair!"

 

My entire speech only earned a incredulous chuckle from the woman.

 

"Fair?!? You think your life is unfair? And that Spike has it better than you? My god, Angel! You're even stupider than I thought!"

 

I gave her a confused look. What the heck did she mean by that?

 

"Life is never fair, Angel! It's cruel, hard and filled with pain! And it's multiplied twice over for those like us, who are charged to protect it! I don't know why but it just does! You're not the only one who has these shitty moments, everyone else does! Most especially Spike! You think he had it easy? You think he was immediately accepted into my team? You think that I immediately fell in love with him after he got the chip? Well, you're wrong! I didn't fall for Spike! Heck! I hated his guts and all of us barely tolerated him. We only called on him when we needed extra muscle, and we never stopped to thank him for helping us. Instead we would insult him and belittle him when he was near us! We treated him like trash and a freakin' waste of space! He had every right to hate us, but instead he kept helping us, and why? Because he fell in love with me!" Her voiced softened as she talked about her history with Spike. "Me. His worst enemy. The killer of his kind. He fell for me and, at one point that thought had disgusted me so much that I revoked his invite to my home, even though earlier that night he had helped us defeat his Sire, who came to town to kill me and pick him up." I gave her a surprised look, not because I was surprised by her actions or of Spike's but by the fact that Dru actually went to Sunnydale. I didn't even know about that.

 

She must've seen my expression for she explained what had happened.

 

"There was series of vampire related killings that had been going on around town, so I went to Spike and asked him to help find out who was doing the killings. He found out who it was and immediately helped me set a trap to get Drusilla out in the open. But she didn't fall for our trap and instead we fell for hers. I would've died that night had Spike not been able to defeat and order her out of town. He turned his back on the her, the woman who created him, that night to protect me, but what do I do to repay him? I revoked his invite at my home because I found out he had a crush on me that very same night and I told all of my friends to stay away from him." The regret of her actions was extremely evident in her voice. This was obviously not something my Buffy wanted to remember and it pained me a bit to know that I was the reason she was reliving these things. So I tried to ease it.

 

"Buffy, you shouldn't feel bad about what you did. Spike's a monster. He doesn't deserve such feelings from you."

 

A bitter laugh came out from her mouth.

 

"Of course you would say that about him. Had it been you, you'd have argued with us and said that you deserve to be treated better, wouldn't you?" The accusing look she gave me forced me to take a step back.

 

"Of course, I would say that, because I'm different. I have a soul. Spike doesn't."

 

She snorted. "Yeah, you would say that. Look at me I have a soul and I deserve to be forgiven for everything I've done because I feel sorry for it," she said doing a sad imitation of my voice.

 

"I don't say that, Buffy," I told her, slightly irritated at what she was implying.

 

"No, but you think it," she pointed out. "You want to know, Angel, what the real difference between you and Spike is?" She paused and waited for me to answer. I was about to say my soul but she stopped me. "And no, having a soul doesn't count. You need to think of something that Spike actually has that you don't and it is because of this he's better person than you. A more worthy vampire that deserves my love and my friends' trusts."

 

I thought hard on it, after those words came out her mouth. What does Spike have that made him better than me? But no matter how much I pondered on it, I came up with nothing.

 

Spike isn’t smart--okay, maybe he is a bit bookish, even though he hides it well. But he isn't the type to use what he learned because he was always too impatient to actually stick to any of his plans. He isn’t better looking than me either. Yes, he was handsome, but compared to me, he was just a short-assed pretty boy. He's a good fighter, but the bastard had never once bested me in a fight, so that meant he was weaker than me.

 

 _So what the hell made him so better that Buffy and her friends love and trust him?_ I thought, before an idea popped on my head. _Was it the bond? Did it affect how they saw him?_

 

"You're talking about the bond, aren't you?" I asked. "You have a blood bond with him and that's why you all feel closer to him and see him better than me."

 

Buffy's eyes widened and that meant I was right. Anger immediately filled me.

 

_That conniving bastard! I knew he had an ulterior motive for doing the blood bond! I just didn't think he'd be that despicable! Using a blood bond to get people who hated him to like him! Bastard! I swear if he isn't dead yet, I will make him pay!_

 

"No, it isn't the bond, Angel," Buffy stated, taking me out from my inner thoughts of hurting Spike. "But it did help us see the difference."

 

"Then what the hell is it? What the hell would Spike have that I don't that would make him a better person than me? The only souled vampire there is? A champion for the people? What the hell does that stupid boy have that I don't?"

 

"He has a heart," she said softly.

 

"Huh?" was my only reply. I was confused. _What the hell did she mean by that._

 

She smiled before explaining further.

 

"What really makes Spike different than you, Angel, is that he has a heart that can love. With this ability of his he can see beyond his demonic nature and has the capability to act more human than any demon we know. And because of this, he was able to show to us that he can be trusted and is worthy to be loved back." I was even more confused by this answer .

 

_Love? That was it? He's better than me because he kept that part of his humanity? That he was less of a demon compared to any they know? That's just stupid!_

 

"How does that make him better than me, Buffy? So he can love, so what? I can do that too! I am doing that! I love you and my son! But my love wasn't enough to let me keep either one of you!"

 

"Because you don't know how to use your love, Angel! In fact, you don't understand it! You feel love but you don't know what to do with it! How to express it! How to keep it! How to use it correctly!"

 

"What the hell do you mean?"

 

"It means, dead boy, that Spike is better at being human than you because of his ability to love and feel," Xander Harris answered, joining in on our conversation.

 

"He's better because of his ability to love and feel?" I repeated, sounding incredulous.

 

_That made even lesser sense than what Buffy was saying. What does his ability to love have to do with being better than me?_

 

"Angel, this ability of Spike is what makes it easier for him to understand humans and their emotions. It helped him integrate himself into our group because he understood each and every one of us in a way that no one was able to and he was able use what he knew to help us and those we save. This trait of his makes him more human and easier to be with compared to you!"

 

"So what you're trying to say is that Spike used this ability of his to manipulate you into thinking he's human and capable of being good by toying with your emotions to fool you into thinking he's changed? How is that different than Angelus?"

 

Buffy let out a frustrated scream that made me jump.

 

"Can I hit him again?" she asked her companions. "He's so irritating and is twisting our words and giving them his own meaning!"

 

"There is no point wasting your energy on explaining such things to him, Buffy. He'll never accept anything we say when it doesn't fit his own world view," Giles, who had approached us, stated, "Besides, we just finished setting up everything for the summoning ritual, so it is best to ignore him for now and focus on the problem on hand."

 

"Ritual? What ritual?" I echoed before looking behind the three of them to find Willow and the other two blond women from the Magic Box talking amongst themselves around a magic circle.

 

But instead of answering, Buffy and Xander chose to ignore me and approach the group of women behind them. It was insulting, being treated this way, and I was about to say that when I felt Giles' hand grab my arm to stop me.

 

"I rather you stay here for the ritual, Angel," he told me, "You might inadvertently ruin it by your presence."

 

"Ruin by my presence? What sort of ritual would be ruined by me? What is this ritual anyway, Giles?"

 

"It's a summoning ritual to summon the Juxt'ce Demon, that betrayed you. We plan bring it here, capture it and force it to tell us what it did with Spike and your son."

 

"That's a great idea! How come you never told me you can summon this thing?" I asked, really curious and slightly irritated. If they could summon this thing, then why the heck didn't they just summoned it earlier instead letting me drive all the way to LA and force myself to betray Spike in the first place?

 

"Because one can only summon a Juxt'ce demon after it has finished making their bargain with their current client which was you. As for capturing it, well--had you followed the earlier plan and taken Spike to the location you gave us, we would've captured him using the barrier circle we made in the abandoned building you told us to meet you at. But instead you changed the location and ended up ruining the entire plan."

 

"You had planned to capture it?! Why wasn't I told this?"

 

"Because if you had known, the demon would've known too! It can see through a person who plans to double cross it. But if the double crossing happens without the said person's knowledge then they can’t predict the treachery in the first place."

 

Okay, well that explained why they had wanted Spike and I to go ahead to the location instead of waiting for them to finish planning. It had been important that I didn't know the plan for it to work.

 

 _All the more reason to prove what a failure you really are, Angel._ A voice in my head hissed angrily.

 

I shook it away, before turning to Giles and ask another question plaguing my mind.

 

"So how will my presence ruin this ritual then?"

 

"You've just finished bargaining with it. And though it didn't really give you its end of the deal, it still remembers that it made a deal with you in the first place. So it will steer clear of your general direction. Meaning--"

 

"It might not show up because I'm here," I finished for him. I nodded my head and started to move further away from the group and their magic circle.

 

"Angel!" Giles called, making me turn to face him. "Spike is a good man even without the soul and he is very genuine about his feelings for Buffy. He doesn't pretend that he isn't a demon because he is, but he doesn't go all out to be like one anymore because he knows we don't appreciate it. He may not have a soul, but he knows right from wrong because he is sensitive to the feelings of those he cares about and he uses that sensitivity of his to identify what would upset us and what wouldn't. Combine that to the fact that he has placed so much trust on us to surrender his for Buffy and her sister, so he can continue fighting with us--well, let’s just say, Spike proved to be a better man than you."

 

"Why are you telling me this, Giles? Are you trying to say that I should've done the blood ritual with you guys when I still worked with you so that all of you would place that kind of love and care that you are giving Spike to me?" I questioned, because really I saw no point in knowing all this.

 

"The point in me telling you this, you pillock, is so you would come off that high horse of yours and actually admit to yourself that your soul isn't special because even with it you don't know how to be human or treat people properly with the respect they deserve. You're not mightier than us, Angel, nor are you better because you have this destiny. Spike doesn't have a soul or a destiny but he has done a lot of good just like you and he is very genuine about his actions. He doesn't think he'll be rewarded for what he does, he just does it because he thinks it's the right thing to do. He uses his emotions to guide him into doing the right thing and he does all this because he wants Buffy to be proud of him. What about you, Angel? What's your motivation for doing something good? If your reasons are as noble as Spike's then I guess you do have a right to demand what you deserve. But if not, then just shut up and be useful and help us clean the mess you created."

 

He turned away from me and went towards Buffy and the others.

 

Meanwhile, I was left to contemplate his words. He was right. I always viewed myself as someone special because of the soul, because the Powers gave me a destiny. I even felt secretly happy that I had prophesies written about me, about my son. But it was my conceit that led to losing him. I lowered my guard because I believed that no one would be able to do anything to me or take anything from me because I have a destiny and I thought it would be enough to stop the bad things from happening.

 

It was my arrogance that made me blind to see that something was bothering my friend. I should've seen Wesley's betrayal coming. But I didn't because I was too stuck in my own world. I didn't notice anything strange happening. Not even when someone changed my blood supply to Connor's blood. I didn't notice anything.

 

And what made it worse was that it was my arrogance that made me go alone tonight without Buffy and the others. I thought I could handle it. I thought I didn't need Buffy's help because I was stupid enough to think that I could kill the demon without them, or at least intimidated it enough not to double cross me. But again I was wrong, because its magic was more powerful than I expected, and Spike paid the price.

 

Buffy had a right to kill me. But I didn't have a right to demand that she do so. I didn't have a right to tell her to end me because I couldn't deal with the pain. To manipulate her into doing so. It was selfish, and even arrogant of me.

 

I'm--

 

**Wooosh!!**

 

I was taken out of my pathetic musings by the sound of the spell taking effect. I watched as Willow and the other blond witch, who I remembered was introduced to me as Tara, finished chanting the spell. A blurry figure started appear inside the magic circle, and a few moments later the treacherous demon who double crossed me appeared inside the circle.

 

"Giles, Anya, now!" Willow screamed and right away the mentioned Scoobies began a different type of chanting.

 

All of a sudden the magic circle turned into a visible shade of green before solidifying into something like a semi-transparent wall that served as a prison for the demon.

 

"What the hell is this?!" it screamed within the confines of its prison. His eyes shifted towards the group of humans before it began to let out a bunch of curses and promises of pain should they not release it.

 

"Funny, I'd like to say the same thing too only instead of freedom I want answers, starting with what you did to a certain master vampire who was traded to you tonight," Buffy said walking closer to the demon, with a very strange axe-like weapon in her hand.

 

"Vampire? I know not what you are talking about, little girl," the demon hissed angrily and it was then that I made my presence known to the creature.

 

"I think you know quite well what she's talking about, Aaron," I stated as I approached the group.

 

The demon's eyes immediately narrowed at me and a sneer was immediately directed to me.

 

"Angelus," he spat, "I should've known. You were never the type to back down easily, were you? Well, let me tell you again, as I told you earlier, I only make deals with those who can keep them! I asked for you to give me who you created as Angelus in return for your son, but instead you gave me William the Bloody, who if I am correct was created by Drusilla the Mad, not you! You tried to trick me in our bargain so I refused to continue with the transaction!"

 

"Dru may have sired Spike but Angelus was the one who made him the monster he is today. He was the one who trained him, disciplined him and taught him everything there is to know about being a vampire. In every aspect of the word, he belongs to Angelus!" I told the demon, which was something I hadn't been able to tell him earlier because he had already casted a sleeping spell on me when he said I didn't meet the quota for his bargain.

 

"Blood, Angelus! Blood beats training any day! William the Bloody did not directly share your blood thus he is not included in the list of those you created!" he said smugly. "If you had wanted the return of your son, you must trade someone that shares the same blood relations to you as your son does. Meaning, your own Childe! Not Sire! Not Grandchilde! But your Childe! That means only Drusilla would've fitted that description!"

 

_Okay, he has me there. So Spike didn't count as someone I could trade Conner with. But then why did he still take him?_

 

"If that was the case, then why did you still take Spike? You said that the deal was off! So what's the point in taking him?" I asked the demon.

 

"Well, he was your payment for wasting my time of course! Since you went through all the trouble of getting him for me, I might as well take him! And so I did, and he is mine now to do what I please with him!"

 

**Slash!**

 

Screams from the demon reverberated throughout the factory. I was shocked to see that Buffy had taken the liberty to cut the demon's arm off using the red axe thing in her hands.

 

"Bitch! Why the hell did you do that?!" he screamed, glaring at Buffy.

 

"You said something that pissed me off," was her only reply before moving closer to the magic circle until she was but mere inches from the circle itself. "Something about Spike being yours now? Well, that just didn't sit well with me. In fact, I doubt it sat well with anyone of my friends."

 

I cast a quick look at the rest of the Scoobies and shivered as I saw the deadly look they directed at the demon. They were all angry, seething actually, and all of their rage was obviously directed at the demon in the center of the room.

 

"Who the fuck do you think you are?! Don't you humans know who I am?!" it screamed, while trying to hold on to its bleeding arm.

 

"Don't you know who we are?" Xander's fiance, Anya, if I remember correctly, stated, "Or more specifically, don't you know who she is?" She pointed at Buffy.

 

"I don't know who the fuck any of you are and I don't care, bitch! But I swear when I get out of this you will all pay for this insole--aaaggghh!" It was cut from it rant as Buffy cut out another one of its four arms off. "Bitch!"

 

Buffy raised the axe thing and pointed it at the demon's neck before she said with a serious tone, "I suggest you keep that dirty mouth of yours shut. If you continue to keep this up, then you might find yourself losing all your limbs before the night ends. And trust me, you don't want to lose them by this scythe, demon, since no magic in the world would be able to make them grow back again." This stopped the demon as if assessing whether the threat was authentic or not. "Oh, and in case you don't take me seriously, let me just introduce myself. Hi, I'm Buffy, the Vampire Slayer! I'm the original one, by the way, and not the one in prison. Came here all the way from the Hellmouth just to meet you!" she said in an enthusiastic tone that was completely opposite from the threatening one she was using moments earlier.

 

"T-t-the Slayer!" the juxt'ce demon sputtered, this time looking more scared than he had been a few moments ago. "Wa-what are you doing here in LA?" it asked nervously.

 

"Well, I came to take back what's mine--well, actually someone who belongs to my friends and I. Someone you carelessly accepted from the vampire behind me even though he was not the real owner of that someone I am talking about. Someone you also carelessly called as yours," she told him, "You know who it is?"

 

The demon on the magic prison looked paler than usual as he recognized who the Slayer was describing.

 

_And that was saying something considering its dark reptilian skin wasn't supposed to look that shade._

 

"Y-you mean to-to say that William the Bloody, the Slayer of Slayers, belongs to the Slayer?"

 

"First, his name is Spike. Second, yes, he belongs to me or more specifically to me and my friends. He did this blood ritual thingy that made him our property. Not Angel's. Not Dru’s. But ours. _He's ours,_ and you just took him from us. Now, usually, I'm a very civil and diplomatic gal when it comes to demons I just met because my friends tell me not all demons are of the evil category, but when the demon that I just met tries to take something of mine--well, let's just say, I tend to go all slay and kill girl on it. And you, my arrogant and assuming friend, unknowingly did just that. You stole from me, from us." She paused to allow the information to sink in. When the information finally sunk into the demon, which was visible by the terrified expression on its face, she continued. "But don't worry. I get that you did it because you thought you were only cheating Angel. After all, he's an idiot and deserves to be cheated on for being stupid and making this entire matter worse. Anyway--I'm gonna be generous with you and give you a little a chance to redeem yourself, and all you have to do is give Spike back, and maybe add Angel's kid in to the mix, if you’re feeling generous. You do that and I might actually let you live to double cross more people in the future. If not, I'll let my friends torture you to get the info and by the end of it all, I will kill you as painfully as I possibly can. Then I'll have my witch friends over there revive you, just so we can repeat the process all over again! So what do you say? You gonna give me what I want or are you gonna be a boneheaded idiot and choose pain and torture instead?"

 

The demon was shivering in fear as he eyed the woman in front of him. I immediately knew what the sniveling wimp was going to choose before it even opened its mouth.

 

"Please! Please don't kill me!" it cried, and tears would’ve fallen down its cheeks, if they were among its bodily capabilities.

 

"Then give us Spike back!" Buffy ordered.

 

"I can't! No! Please, Slayer, wait!" it cried, raising its hands defensively to protect itself from Buffy's weapon, that was once again pointed at it. "It's not because I don't want to give him back, but because I can't!"

 

“Splainy," she said through gritted teeth.

 

"I gave him away, him and Angelus' spawn, to a law firm that wanted the souled vampire to suffer."

 

"Law firm?" Buffy looked back at me questioningly.

 

"Wolfram and Hart," I answered angrily. Before kicking the bucket which Xander had used on him earlier and left lying on the floor. "Dammit! I should've known they'd be involved! There's no way they would've let Connor go that easily. The son of two vampires? He's a real prize for them!"

 

"So they're your enemies?" Buffy crossed her arms and gave me an accusing look. "Then why the hell did they take Spike?"

 

"I don't know. They probably did it because he's from my blood line. They took Darla and Dru a couple of months back. They did it to try and get to me," I told her.

 

"That is so stupid! You and Spike don't even like each other! Why the hell would they think you'd be bothered by his abduction! Gah! Villains are all idiots!" Buffy exclaimed all while pacing back and forth.

 

"They are," I said, actually agreeing with her--because really? Taking Spike to get to me? Has Wolfram and Hart really stooped so low? Unless they find a way to use him to get me killed, Spike is useless to them.

 

"We need to get him back, Angel," she said with a determined expression, "Him and your son."

 

"We will," I answered with equal determination before placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.

 

She shrugged it away, which hurt a bit on my end.

 

_She really doesn't love me anymore, does she?_

 

"I know we will, and when we do, I'll make sure everyone knows not to mess with the Slayer and her stuff." The seething rage that came with that promise was enough to send shivers down my spine.

 

_Oh, boy, I almost feel sorry for those idiots at Wolfram and Hart._

 

**(O.O)**

 

After getting the information on where Spike and Connor were from the demon, Buffy beheaded the beast and had Willow incinerate its body. Then, the team began planning ways to infiltrate Wolfram and Hart. They talked about using armored cars, guns, spells and all sorts of explosives that would've toppled the C4 we used to blow up Buffy's old school a few years back. It was really scary listening to them scheming up ways to destroy the law firm which has been my number one enemy since I came to LA.

 

_Do they even know that most of Wolfram and Harts employees were human? Using a bazooka to clear the entrance was dangerous! They could hurt a lot of people._

 

I told them this but it only earned a duh-are-you-an-idiot? expression.

 

" _Well, you did say that they're evil, then add in the fact that they took Spike, it's completely justifiable for us to cause as much pain as possible. If a human is evil, we hurt them--not to the point where they'd get killed but at least enough that they'd know not mess with the forces of good anymore. That's just what we do back in Sunnydale_ ," Xander had said with a shrug.

 

I had been surprise by their careless disregard for human life, and had tried to argue with them about what good guys like them should be doing. But it had only earned me irritated looks from the group.

 

" _Angel, if we wanted a lecture on how to be servants of goodness, we'd go to a priest, not ask you. You're not exactly qualified to give us lectures on how to act like white hats, considering you fed a bunch of lawyers to your family a year back. And even if you were qualified, you still won't be able to change our minds regarding evil humans and how we think they should be punished. We've already told you that we learned the hard way a few months back when a bunch of humans nearly killed someone in my team because they wanted to try and be evil that soulless does not equal evil and souled does not equal good. So for us, bad humans get equal punishment by our hands._ "

 

When Buffy put it like that, I had been forced to shut up and just go along with them. I listened to their plotting until they said that they needed to wait until tomorrow evening before they would attack Wolfram and Hart. So that was when I suggested that we went to my hotel and to rest there.

 

They had been reluctant at first, but logic had won against their distrust for me, and that's why we were currently on our way to Hyperion Hotel just three hours before sunrise.

 

When we arrived at the hotel, I mentally prepared myself for the inevitable scolding I was going to get from Cordy--because really, knowing her, she's probably prepared one for disappearing without informing her. She'd also have something to say about what I did to Spike, though whether that's a bad or good thing I still wasn't sure. She still hates Spike after all so there's a possibility that she might not be too harsh with me.

 

I took a deep breath before opening the doors to my hotel.

 

"Cordy! Guys! I'm back!" I yelled out when no one greeted me.

 

I looked around but saw no one in the lobby.

 

They're probably still asleep. I thought as I gestured for my guests to enter.

 

The Scoobies piled inside and stopped to admire the place.

 

"Wow, now this is a huge upgrade from the mansion in Crawford," Xander said.

 

"How were you able to afford this?" Buffy asked.

 

"I--uh."

 

"Well, he probably used his own savings to buy the place. Some vampires are known to keep the wealth they've accumulated over the years of their unlife," Xander's weird fiancé stated with a matter of fact tone.

 

"Wait! Vampires’ have hidden wealth?! How come Spike doesn't have any?" Xander exclaimed.

 

"Who says I don't?" a familiar voice resounded around the room.

 

Suddenly Spike appeared coming down the hotel's stairs.

 

"'Ello, cutie," he said, his eyes zoning in on Buffy.

 

Within seconds Buffy was in his arms.

 

"You're alright!" she said.

 

"Of course, I'd be alright! You doubted me, you silly bint?"

 

"Maybe..." Buffy stated, hugging him tighter.

 

I watched as his look softened and he hugged her back. It was a very sweet moment between the two, though I didn't hate that I'd have to break it.

 

"Spike, how are you here?" I asked.

 

"Well, it sure as hell no thanks to you, you treacherous wanker," he spat, and I was reminded that I was actually the reason behind why he disappeared in the first place. "You sold me out!"

 

I looked away from my Grandchilde in shame.

 

"I'm sorry," was all I managed to say.

 

"Yeah, well good thing there was something that I got out your stupidity," he said making me look back at him.

 

I opened my mouth to ask but stopped when I saw Cordy coming down the stairs carrying a baby in her arms.

 

I stood frozen in place as I stared at the baby. My nose flared as I smelled his familiar scent.

 

"Connor," I whispered as I slowly made my way towards the two.

 

I stopped right in front of Cordy and my boy and simply gazed at the child in her arms and gently touched his cheek to see if he was really there.

 

"Connor," I whispered again. "My boy."

 

"Those bloody lawyers had him. They wanted me to use him against you. Too bad for them, they had no idea I fight for the same side as their arch enemy and that the chip no longer worked so I was able to esca--"

 

He hadn't finished though as I suddenly pulled Spike into my arms and gave him a grateful hug.

 

"Oi! Lemme go, you poof!" he screamed but I was beyond caring about his own embarrassment, or mine for the matter. My only concern at that moment was to simply hug the man who brought my son back to me.

 

I tightened my hold on him before saying "Thank you," in the sincerest way I could manage.

 

"Tsk, whatever," was his only reply. But I felt him pat my back a couple of times which, for some reason, made me even happier.

 

_But not happy enough to lose my soul, of course._

 

After a few more seconds of hugging Spike, I finally released him and went back to my son. I opened my arms, silently asking Cordy to hand him over to me. She happily complied and I was once again carrying Connor in my arms.

 

And I really thanked whoever god that had been listening for that.

 

I thought I was never going to see Connor again. But I had and I plan on never losing him ever again.

 

I looked up at Spike, Buffy and her Scoobies, who were all busy welcoming my Grandchilde back. They were also talking about continuing with Xander's wedding later in the afternoon.

 

_That's right. I had taken them on the day of Xander's big day. Man, I really had a lot to make up for._

 

I turned to face them and called their attention back to me.

 

"Guys," I started, "I know you all had plans before I came into the picture tonight and I know how much of an ass I had been when I came to ask for your help. And that's why I want to say thank you. Thank you for giving me your time and patience to help me rescue my son. I know it must not be easy, considering today was supposed to be Xander and Anya's wedding. Which I'd like to say sorry for doing this to both of you on your special day." The couple merely shrugged as if what happened couldn't be helped, and I felt even more grateful for them. "I'd also like to say sorry. Sorry that I betrayed you, that I lied to you, that I turned you over to the enemy. I have no words to say just how sorry I am. I--"

 

"We get it! You're grateful and you're sorry, no need to pull out an entire speech, Peaches, just hurry up and finish the damn thing so we can all head back to Sunnyhell and get on with the wedding preparations. I still need to get my tux from the bloody dry cleaner and a best man's speech to finish!" Spike, my impertinent Grandchilde, stated.

 

But I kept my cool, considering I was still feeling grateful to the damned bastard for rescuing my son.

 

"Alright. Over all I just want to say that I am grateful and I want to repay you all for your help by paying for all the expenses for your wedding, Xander."

 

"Really?!" Xander and his fiancé said at the said time.

 

"Yes, and also for the dresses and tuxes you all are going to be wearing. Just send the bills to me and I'll pay for everything."

 

"Angel, you don't have to do this--" Buffy stated.

 

"The hell he doesn’t! He's paying for my wedding, Buffy, let the man be!" Anya told her.

 

"But--" Buffy was about to argue but I stopped her.

 

"Please, Buffy. This is the least I can do after all the inconvenience I caused you. And also so I can repay you all for the help you gave me."

 

"But it doesn't seem right to take money from you."

 

"And it isn't right to betray your friends either. So please, Buffy, this is the least I can do."

 

She stared into my eyes, before finally conceding to my request.

 

It didn't take long for the group to gather their things and get in their cars to drive back to Sunnydale. Before they could fully leave the hotel, I called out to Spike.

 

"They were right about you," I told him, already knowing who they were. "You are a better man than me. I really hope that doesn't change, you hear me boy?"

 

_It wasn't really a threat, more like a warning._

 

"I hear you, old man." He turned away and followed his human companions.

 

"I'd rather dust, anyway, than return to the monster I once was..." my enhanced hearing picked up as he entered Harris' vehicle.

 

I watched them drive off until they disappeared from my line of sight. I smiled before going back inside. Once inside though my smile disappeared as I saw the furious look on Cordelia Chase's face.

 

"So, Angel, I heard that you made a deal with a Juxt'ce demon and betrayed Spike last night--you better have a good explanation for that mister."

 

_Shit!_

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**End**

 

**(O.O)**

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter End Notes:  
> Yehey!! I did it! I finished this story!! Woohoo!! I again would like to thank all who supported this story and for your wonderful reviews. I love you all... Thanks for the support and hope you will continue supporting by leaving one last review for this story. I would truly appreciate it even more.

**Author's Note:**

> Chapter End Notes:
> 
> And that's that. Hope you all don't think that Angel is evil here, because he really isn't. He's just being an idiot and I just love to kick him off his high horse. But he isn't evil. Anyway, thanks for reading and I hope to see you in the next chapter! Thanks and please leave a review and tell me what you think of this story!


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